I can confidently tell you that Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2 is not only a worthy successor to the portable powerhouse but an outing that passes the original in just about every way possible -- although not by leaps and bounds.

If you're just joining us, Hot Shots is the series that's been putting goofy characters and items on the links since the PSone days. Open Tee 2 continues the tradition with 24 playable characters; 12 courses; and more than 300 different options for clothing, hairstyles, clubs, and more. However, the title isn't content to just give you a few more options -- Open Tee 2 adds a 16-player online mode, clothing/item boosts, and a brand-new way to unlock content.




Golfing in Hot Shots is both simple and complex. In the beginning, it'll seem like the game is played completely with the X button. You'll tap the button to start a colored swing bar rising beneath your golfer of choice, tap it again when you've decided how much oomph to put into the shot, and tap it one last time to stop the colored meter in the pink impact zone. The tapping complete, you player will knock the ball towards the spinning, 3D triangle that acts as your crosshairs -- wind and your own flubs on the impact meter will influence how close you get to that mark.

Of course, there's a lot more to hitting that mark than you might think. Left and right on the D-Pad will adjust you character's shot left or right, while the L and R buttons will switch between your clubs and thus how far the ball can go. If you need an extra boost of power, you can tap square to make use of one of your power swings, and once unlocked, you can tap triangle in the impact sweet zone for more juice or circle for less. Obviously you'll need to be paying attention to the rolling hills, sand traps, and water hazards when you're aiming for the fairway, but once you get on the green, you'll need to watch dotted lines that let you know which way the ground is slopping and at what kind of angle.

So, yeah. Your goal is to go from two measly characters to unlocking all 12 new golfers -- folks such as the raven-haired beauty Alice and grandmother Frau Ada -- and maxing out each of their Loyalty meters. Along the way, you'll be able to make the team members fat or skinny, add glasses, and unlock a whole set of friends. See, in addition to the newbies, Open Tee 2 features the entire cast of the original game. However, rather than unlocking them like you're unlocking the new characters, you'll need to find the vets on the course. There are all sorts of hidden accessories and items on the field of play along with the original dozen. You'll be playing, see a sparkle in the distance, and then have to zoom in with the camera to receive the gift or person. My Santa beard came in an out of bounds section, Rio fell out of a tree, and I found Shu facedown next to the green.